Course Looks Inside Campaign Communications and Messaging

Holden brings in national political media consultants and campaign strategists to
enrich students' learning experience

ST. LOUIS (SEPT. 30, 2015) – The 2016 presidential election is more than a year away,
yet campaign season is in full swing. For most of us, this means political commercials,
yard signs, and debate coverage. But what is it like to navigate the process as a
candidate? Students at Webster University have an inside track with Gov. Bob Holden
as he teaches the course Campaign Strategy and Political Power (MEDC 5550 06 offered
at the Downtown campus Fall II). In it, he shares his experiences and considerable
insights into the political campaign and communication process.

This discussion-based course gives students the opportunity to hear from and engage
with some of the leading professional campaign and business consultants in the country.
Guest speakers from prior classes have included political media consultants and campaign
strategists who worked for Presidents Bush and Obama; for Hilary Clinton and Karl
Rove; and for national political campaign organizations and corporate communications
offices.

“After participating in Gov. Bob Holden’s class I had a better understanding of the
communication needs at a variety of levels within a political campaign,” said Melanie
Bernds, School of Communications graduate student and public relations manager at
the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center. “His impressive experience with public policy
created a dynamic element to the class that has assisted me in my own professional
achievements.”

Gov. Holden’s public service career spans more than 25 years. It includes serving
as governor of the State of Missouri, state representative, and state treasurer. He
remains influential in the private sector and has a wide-reaching network of contacts.
In addition to teaching, he is the founder and director of the Holden Public Policy
Forum (HPPF), a bi-partisan speaker series, and serves as Chairman of the Midwest-U.S.
China Association (MWCA), a non-profit, non-partisan organization that encourages
commerce between 12 Midwestern states and China.

In November 2015, Gov. Holden will lead a delegation of Midwest leaders to Cuba with
the Dwight D. Eisenhower People to People International (PTPI) Organization. The delegation
will be made up of leaders from the private, public, and educational sectors who will
have the opportunity to interact with their counterparts in Cuba.

“It’s a real privilege to share my political experience with students,” said Gov.
Holden. “The value of campaigns is that they force you to master communicating a message
in a limited amount of time, with limited resources and frequently while under pressure.
By understanding good, strong campaign message development, students can translate
those skills beyond politics.”

Gov. Holden’s course is ideal for anyone interested in pursuing a career in public
affairs, crisis management communications, media literacy, or is simply interested
in learning more about political communication and campaign messaging. Gov. Holden
takes the course to the next level by relating the skills required to succeed in political
communications to those in other forms of business communications.

This course is MEDC 5550 06 Topics in Media Communications: Campaign Strategy and
Political Power. It is offered on Tuesday evenings in Fall II, 2015 from 5:30 p.m.
to 9:30 p.m. at the Webster University Gateway campus in the historic Old Post Office
building.

About the School of CommunicationsThe School of Communications at Webster University prepares students to excel as skilled
professionals in the global field of communications. We provide theory and practice
in media courses framed within a liberal arts-based curriculum, augmented by personalized
mentorship, and professional development opportunities. Fifteen distinct majors are
available at the undergraduate level and master’s degrees in six diverse fields of
communications. We offer BA and MA programs on the Webster campuses in Geneva, Vienna,
London, Leiden, Thailand, and Ghana, as well as in Saint Louis and online.

About Webster UniversityWith its home campus in St. Louis, Missouri, USA, Webster University (www.webster.edu)
comprises an action-oriented global network of faculty, staff, students and alumni
who forge powerful bonds with each other and with their communities around the globe.
Founded in 1915, Webster is a private non-profit university with more than 17,000
students studying at campus locations in North America, Europe, Asia and Africa and
in a robust learning environment online. The university is committed to ensuring high-quality
learning experiences that transform students for global citizenship and individual
excellence.